How Did It Get So Late So Soon?

City Council meets today for another paired “policy workshop,” this one addressing “watershed protection, environmental matters, endangered species (9-11am), and issues related to parks and open space” (12:30-2:30). Thursday’s schedule addresses “education support” and neighborhood issues.

Perhaps they’ll have better success keeping to that schedule than at last Thursday’s regular meeting (Feb. 12), when they adjourned at 11pm. That’s not the notorious “3am” – but there was some consternation on the dais that matters might be getting out of hand, and along 9pm even a word from Mayor Steve Adler about prospective work on rescheduling the agenda, more specifically, “separating out the zoning cases.” That’s one of the proposed strategies for shorter meetings: final zoning cases must be heard before the whole Council, and it’s not unusual (as happened Thursday) that zoning discussions drift into the gory details, ergo – longer meetings.

Zoning wasn’t the only issue that prolonged the evening, but there were a couple of tough cases that raised hackles (and burned time). That also meant that a couple of high profile items – the homestead property tax exemption discussion, and the Mayor’s proposal to expand his staff – drifted into the late hours. As D10 Council Member Sheri Gallo noted about 9, “It's not the middle of the night, but, you know, it is late.”

Nevertheless, before the clock struck midnight, Council did accomplish a brace of tasks:

•Approved $3 million in art commissions for ABIA, including a major commission by the magical Janet Echelman

•Approved the salary reallocation measure proposed by Adler and D1 CM Ora Houston – allowing members to allot their salaries to other office expenses – despite misgivings from some members (most notably D2 CM Delia Garza) that it may create inequities down the line

•Approved six [Ed.: originally read 11; Council passed 11 Items concerning six projects] affordable housing project applications (for low-income tax credits) over the stern objections of D6 CM Don Zimmerman, who considers them unsustainable and immoral redistributions of wealth

•Established a Parking and Transportation Management District for the Mueller neighborhood, despite worries that it will mean fewer “free” parking spaces

•Directed city staff to put together a report on the effects of an immediate or phased-in property tax homestead exemption, to return (partially) in late March and with more detail by May (before budget season)

•After a long, late discussion of the mayor’s proposed Better Austin Foundation to expand his staff, postponed action until Feb. 26

Today and Thursday's special-called agendas also allow for "possible action" on Council meeting procedures, so more tweaking may be in order. For more on Council, including next week’s agenda, see Thursday's print edition.